Infobomb Advice and Door to Door Protocol

My name is Chris, I’m 34, and have been a Ron Paul supporter since my early 20s.

I was also a door-to-door representative for the local paper for many years.

In 2008 campaign I discovered the joy of handing out Ron Paul brochures to my newspaper prospects. I also rediscovered the fun of putting stickers on things.

I’ve seen many other fine advise and legal guides created by other Ron Paul supporters which you should also read because the information that doesn’t overlap with what I’ve layed out is generally useful.

The following is the best advice I can think of, which I humbly submit for your consideration. If there’s something I’ve overlooked please add it to the comments.

Part A: IF YOU’RE DOING POSTER HANGS, STICKERS, BANNERS

1. Have brochures handy for when someone stops you and asks what you think you are doing.

Let the brochure do the talking about Ron Paul rather than going into a long conversation in the middle of the street.

2. Be polite at all times.

Most people have been trained by their TVs to dismiss Ron Paul as the one who can’t win, and they will honestly be confused about why you are supporting him. Others will verbally attack you. The only way to win an argument is to avoid getting into one. A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still. And yelling back may feel good but it just adds gasoline to the fire, and the silent witnesses to an exchange will forever associate our movement with bad behavior if they see it. The best response to someone who tries to rope you in to an argument about politics is to say you’d love to stay and chat but you have to go, maybe some other time, here’s a brochure.

3. Know the law but also know your rights.

Private property is protected but nobody can stop you from using the commons for political discourse. Explain to anyone who tries to interfere with your legal activity that you do know your rights, and that you will seek recourse through the courts if they try to interfere. If the individual is a police officer, let them know that you understand they are only trying to do their job, that any orders they may have received to harass you are illegal orders, and that you don’t want to but will if necessary use the legal system for redress should they try to interfere with your God-given and Constitutionally protected rights.

4. Don’t act like you are doing something wrong and people won’t suspect you are doing something wrong.

95% of success is faking it till you make it.

5. Wear light colored clothing by day and brightly colored clothing if out after dusk.

Reflective night safety vests are always a good idea if you are walking at night. They also let other people know that you desire to be seen and aren’t trying to hide your presence by cover of darkness. Never ever wear black or very dark clothes after nightfall. People learn their reality from the movies and nobody in black at night is up to any good in the movies.

Day or night, light blues and greens are best, followed by white, light purple, yellow, and pink. These colors set people at ease. Avoid red and orange clothing as these colors are well known to cause a sense of readied awareness or caution in people. If anyone tells you that colors aren’t as powerful as is claimed, skip the traffic light, hunting outfit, and traffic cone explanations and point them straight to the works of Andy Warhol.

Part B: IF GOING DOOR-TO-DOOR TO DISTRIBUTE INFORMATION

DON’T:

Don’t put anything in a mailbox.

Almost anywhere else is usually legal but a mailbox can only be used by the USPS and the resident.

DON’T knock three times.

Twice is kind of pushy. Once is almost always all that’s necessary to alert someone you are there. If they don’t answer a second knock they are definitely not going to answer so don’t waste anymore time waiting for them.

DON’T waste time.

Door-to-door promotions usually pay by the sale, not by the hour. While it can be real fun to run into another Ron Paul supporter and have a lengthy discussion, DO remember that your purpose is to knock on doors and get more ‘sales’, and politely disengage yourself from any conversation that goes on too long or diverts to unrelated topics. These conversations can waste even more time than arguments. Recognize and avert them.

DON’T look at the door after you knock.

Look at the porch. Look at the rail. Look at the tree. DO Let them see you first rather than watching them reach and open the door. Basic survival stuff here. Imagine being in the woods and discovering an animal has been staring at you and you’ll get the idea. Conversely, when a person is able to see you for a few seconds and say the first words of the conversation, they naturally feel that they are in control of the encounter.

DON’T look into windows. Self-explanatory.

DON’T ask unattended children when their parents will be home.

-You’re not going to plan your schedule around a single house, and children ALWAYS tell their parents that someone asked when they get home, and make them sound like a stalker not a friendly salesman. DO give them a brochure and ask them to give it to their parents when they get home.

DON’T go anywhere that you might encounter a dog. This includes behind tall gates around the backs of houses, or even inside a house with dogs. Even the best trained dogs can bite for the first time if they sense that their owner is anxious. If a dog runs up to the door unexpectedly, raise your hands while stepping back and letting the owner know you don’t want to meet their dog and that they’d best keep it away from you. (If I haven’t mentioned it already, all the advice I’m giving is based on experience not theory.)